


Refining the Palate

by celeste9



Series: February Challenge Fics [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Food, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 18:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13618701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: During a celebratory meal following a successful mission, Finn and Rey discover that not all new food is actually good food.





	Refining the Palate

**Author's Note:**

> Day 8: character encounters a very hot pepper

Finn knew that he didn’t have the most reliable palate. Cuisine in the First Order hadn’t been cuisine as such; it had been bland meals designed for optimizing nutrition. The quality of meals in the Resistance varied based on the flow of money and whether they’d had a good shipment recently; if they hadn’t, it was mostly protein bars and various other forms of standard military rations, supplemented with whatever native vegetation they could scavenge without disruption to the ecosystem.

When they did have something good, though, damn. Finn was overly sensitive to taste, in the manner of someone who had been subjected to sensory deprivation. Everything was intensified, whether it was spice or sweet or whatever else. It was overwhelming sometimes, and sort of embarrassing, though no one was ever cruel about it.

It was just another mark of how Finn was different.

Not entirely different, though, because often at his side was Rey, who ate anything put in front of her with little regard for the taste. She often ate so quickly the taste barely registered at all.

So they were two weirdos together, and Finn found that rather comforting.

The two of them were currently off-planet, answering a call for aid. The whole thing had gone rather more smoothly than things normally seemed to these days, and Finn and Rey were enjoying the hospitality of the beings they had helped. Mostly that meant a large meal, which suited them just fine.

Finn could hardly put names to most of the food in front of him, but it all tasted amazing. Rey was laughing at his look of rapture every time he tried something new, shoulders shaking with amusement when he moaned in pleasure.

“Careful,” she said, talking with her mouth full. “You’ll give them the wrong idea.”

“Nah, they can see your hands are above the table,” Finn said, and Rey nearly spit out her food before knocking her fist against Finn’s shoulder.

“You’re an ass,” she said, and helped herself to a plate of something crispy and fried.

“Yeah, we’ll see if you’re saying that later when we try out that kriffing big bed.” Finn reached for a dish of pickled peppers he hadn’t tried yet, nodding at one of the smiling natives.

“Brave,” the guy called from across the table. “It doesn’t agree with many humans.”

Weird, Finn thought. He’d had plenty of peppers; what was weird about a pepper? He popped one in his mouth and chewed.

About half a second later he thought he might die.

He spat it out, to a smattering of laughter from their hosts; someone shoved a pitcher of a thick liquid at him.

Finn’s eyes were watering and his throat was burning as he coughed; Rey rubbed his back in concern. She poured a glass from the pitcher and Finn drank it like he had chugged that filthy water on Jakku.

It eased the burning discomfort a little. “Kriffing hell,” he wheezed, and Rey grinned at him, realizing he was fine.

“I’d eat one to make you look like less of a dummy,” she offered, “but I’m not stupid.”

“Thanks, babe,” Finn said, rolling his eyes, but he accepted Rey’s kiss on his cheek.


End file.
